Ref.9737
Antique cast iron fireback with De Jannel de Belval family coat of arms

Ref.10968
Antique large cast iron fireback inspired by " The Oath of the Horatii" by David, first half of the 19th century

This antique fireback was made in the first half of the 19th century. In the center, in an octagonal medallion, four armed soldiers in antique-inspired outfit vigorously raise their arms over a fire. Their pose is directly inspired by David's painting exhibited at the Louvre Museum The Oath of the Horatii . This painting represents a mythical and legendary episode of ancient Rome: the Horace brothers swear to their father to conquer or to die in the war against the Curiaces to defend the city of Rome. A certain solemnity emanates from the scene represented on our fireback whose warrior theme is recalled by the decorations that surround it among which are banners, flags, laurel branches, crowns and a helmet.

Ref.11286
Gilded bronze clock, signed LEROLLE Frères Paris, showing Minerva presenting her shield

Important antique gilt bronze clock showing Ceres at the feet of Minerva presenting her shield. The dial located in an oval shield with enamelled cartridges is signed "Lerolle Fres Paris" . Louis Lerolle (1813-1875), ceded his house, a bronze foundry, to his sons, Édouard-François and Camille in 1849, who then became Lerolle brothers . At the 1849 Exhibition of Agricultural and Industrial Products in Paris, they won a silver medal. They participated in major exhibitions of the second half of the 19th century, including the World's Fair of 1867. Trained as sculptors, most of their works of art, including clocks, strongly reflect this taste for the sculptural aspect, as witness this important clock.

Ref.11841
Cast iron fireback from the 20th century, with the effigy of King Charles VII

This modern fireback was made in the 20th century and represents King Charles VII on horseback. The upper right corner is decorated with the French coat of arms surmounted by a knight's helm. Inscription "Santa Coloma 1389".

Ref.14715
Rococo-style dromedary clock

This delicately chiseled gilt bronze Rococo-style clock was executed around 1830. It comes from Raulin, in Paris. Raulin is listed in the commercial almanacs at number 21 Chaume street in Paris in the 1820s-1830s. He is alternatively cited as making “printing matrices and plates”, as a “manufacturer of bronzes, chiseler” and as a “manufacturer of clocks, cups, vases, and all rococo items”. The object rests on a base whose ornamentation is characteristic of the Rococo style: the curves and counter-curves respond to the volutes while retaining a certain symmetry. Above, various plants (notably reeds) unfold, framing a dromedary turning its head backwards and carrying on its back, above a harness, the clock dial. This is framed with shell motifs; a monkey is suspended, head down, on the right side. The whole is crowned with a monkey eating a banana, lending great lightness to the subject. These motifs, especially the camel and the monkey, are emblematic of the fascination for a fantasized Orient that emerged in the 18th century before gaining momentum in the 19th century, with Orientalism. Thus, the clock arises from both historicism and the love of the Orient that developed in the first half of the 19th century. The Louvre Museum houses a superb Rococo clock made by Nicolas Brindeau around 1745-1747, adorned with a reclining camel supporting the clock dial on its back. The whole is crowned not with a monkey, but with a figure perched on the dromedary’s huge hump, dressed in Oriental attire and carrying an umbrella.

Ref.12951
Ernest-Baptiste LÉVEILLÉ (attributed to), Eugène ROUSSEAU (after), Koi Carp Vase, circa 1885-1890

This koi carp vase was created by Ernest-Baptiste Léveillé based on a design initially conceived by Eugène Rousseau. François-Eugène Rousseau (1827-1890) established himself in 1855 as a merchant specializing in porcelain and faience, while also engaging in glasswork. Toward the end of his life, inspired by Venetian techniques from the 16th century, which the Chinese practiced in the 18th century, he achieved unexpected designs by layering nuanced colored layers. His works reflect his interest in Japonism. In 1885, he sold his business to his former pupil, Ernest-Baptiste Léveillé. The production of the “Maisons Rousseau-Léveillé réunies” remained characteristic of the techniques developed by Rousseau until the master’s death in 1890. Subsequently, the models became more daring and intricate. Léveillé participated in numerous Parisian Salons between 1892 and 1897, as well as the Universal Exhibitions of 1889 and 1900, during which he received a gold medal. The design of our koi carp vase, in polychrome enamel on slightly smoked glass, is treated in the vein of Japanese prints. The koi carp is a mythical animal in East Asian culture. According to an ancient legend, the bravest ones, which manage to swim up the mighty Yellow River, would transform into dragons with golden scales. An almost identical vase, although its design is entirely in relief and not enameled, is housed in the collections of the Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill.